Netflix (NFLX)

Amortization of Content Library and Upfront Costs

We acquire content from studios and distributors through direct purchases, revenue sharing agreements or license agreements. We acquire content for the purpose of rental to our subscribers and earning subscription rental revenues, and, as such, we consider our content library to be a productive asset, and classify our content library as a non-current asset. Additionally, in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 95, Statement of Cash Flows, we classify cash outflows for the acquisition of the content library, net of changes in related accounts payable, as cash flows from investing activities on our consolidated statements of cash flows. This is inclusive of any upfront non-refundable payments required under revenue sharing agreements.

We amortize our DVDs, less estimated salvage value, on a “sum-of-the-months” accelerated basis over their estimated useful lives. The useful life of the new-release DVDs and back-catalog DVDs is estimated to be 1 year and 3 years, respectively. In estimating the useful life of our DVDs, we take into account library utilization as well as an estimate for lost or damaged DVDs. Volume purchase discounts received from studios on the purchase of titles are recorded as a reduction of DVD inventory when earned.

For those direct purchase DVDs that we estimate we will sell at the end of their useful lives, a salvage value of $3.00 per DVD has been provided. For those DVDs that we do not expect to sell, no salvage value is provided.

We periodically evaluate the useful lives and salvage values of our DVDs.

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Under revenue sharing agreements with studios and distributors, we generally obtain titles for a low initial cost in exchange for a commitment to share a percentage of our subscription revenues or a fee based on utilization over a fixed period of time, or the Title Term, which is typically between 6 and 12 months for each title. At the end of the Title Term, we generally have the option of returning the DVD title to the studio, destroying the title or purchasing the title. In addition, we remit an upfront payment to acquire titles from the studios and distributors under revenue sharing agreements. This payment includes a contractually specified initial fixed license fee that is capitalized and amortized in accordance with our content library amortization policy. In some cases, this payment also includes a contractually specified prepayment of future revenue sharing obligations that is classified as prepaid revenue sharing expense and is charged to expense as future revenue sharing obligations are incurred.

We amortize license fees on Internet-based content on a straight-line basis consistent with the terms of the license agreements.